OTTAWA -- Five OC Transpo buses recently driven by an OC Transpo driver who tested positive for COVID-19 are undergoing a deep cleaning.
OC Transpo tells CTV News Ottawa a third party vendor is performing the sanitizing before the buses return to service.
On Wednesday, OC Transpo said an unidentified driver first developed symptoms on March 20 and received a test on March 21. The driver began self-isolating when they developed symptoms and remains at home.
In a memo to Councillors, Transportation Services General Manager John Manconi said OC Transpo has identified and removed the vehicles driven by the operator from service.
“These vehicles will undergo a deep clean and full sanitization before returning to service.”
A viewer told CTV News Ottawa on Thursday they saw staff in full protective gear cleaning an OC Transpo bus in the area of Kenaston and Gossett Streets.
In a statement to CTV News Thursday evening, Director of Transit Operations Jim Greer said “this particular bus is one of the five buses that was recently identified as being driven by the operator who tested positive for COVID-19.”
“As described in the memo to Council, as an additional precaution, the buses were removed from service in order to be sanitized. The bus is currently located at the facility of a third party vendor who is performing the sanitizing,”
Greer adds “OC Transpo is taking the additional measures to have these five buses deep cleaned to protect the health and safety of our employees and customers.”
